


In Sickness

by SmugdenSugdenDingle



Series: 28 Fics in February [17]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, M/M, of sorts, wedding disaster, with a bit of Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 11:37:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17827826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmugdenSugdenDingle/pseuds/SmugdenSugdenDingle
Summary: “Who…who are you?” The words breaking him instantly, this wasn’t meant to be happening, this was meant to be their second chance, this was meant to be their happily ever after, yet instead of them waiting for their flight on their way to their honeymoon...





	In Sickness

**Author's Note:**

> For Anon on Tumblr: For ur Feb prompt thing - “Who are you?” Aaron's in an accident of some sort and forgets who rob is
> 
> Sooo, I probably drank way too much coffee yesterday which is why I current up at 1:02 in the morning filled with anxiety for no damn reason but lucky for you guys this fic came from my caffeine-fueled anxiety! So enjoy! Hopefully, you like this lovely anon! <3
> 
> Sorry if there are any mistakes!

“Who…who are you?” The words breaking him instantly, this wasn’t meant to be happening, this was meant to be their second chance, this was meant to be their happily ever after, yet instead of them waiting for their flight on their way to their honeymoon they were in the hospital. They were in the car on their way to the airport when the lorry behind them had lost control plowing into them flinging them into the ditch. Aaron’s head smashing into the stirring wheel, Robert looking over at his husband the blood oozing from the gash on his forehead. The whole thing was a blur, the ambulance ride, the call to Paddy and Chas, before he knew it, it was three days later and he was sat in a dark room staring at his unconscious husband, studying his chest, watching it as it moved up and down, telling himself that Aaron was alive. That was the only thing that mattered, Aaron… was alive. For a moment, Robert had hoped that everything was going to be okay when he saw Aaron blinking his eyes open. An overwhelming feeling of relief washed over the older man, his smile fading noticing the panic on his husband’s face and then the dreaded question came out.

“Aaron?

“Who are you?” He was asked again as he sat before the other man still dressed in his wedding suit.

“Aaron… it’s me… Robert,” the man explained.

“Who?”

“What?” Robert replied nearly breathless.

“Where am I?” Aaron questioned the panic painted across the younger man’s face.

“The hospital… we were in an accident.”

“We?”

“On the way to the airport,” he tried explaining.

“Where’s my mum?”

“Her and Paddy went home,” he explained. Aaron’s breathing was rapid, he was shifting in the hospital bed going to pull the I.V. from his arm, Robert quickly stopping him, “Aaron, you have to leave that,” he told the man.

“I need to get out of here,” Aaron explained pushing the blankets off of him. 

“And go where?” Robert questioned.

“I need… I can’t be here!” Aaron nearly yelled the panic in him building even more, his breathing turning into gasps.

“You need to calm down,” Robert replied stopping the younger man from getting out of bed.

“Help! Someone!”

“Aaron,” Robert replied.

“Get off of me!” Aaron spat trying to pull free from Robert. “I need help!” He called out.

Robert looked over at the door to see a nurse rushing in.

“He won’t let me go,” Aaron told the woman.

“He’s having some sort of panic attack,” he tried explaining.  
“Mr. Dingle,” the woman began. “I’m gonna have to ask you to stay in bed,” she went on guiding him to lay down again.

“I want him gone,” Aaron told the woman.  
“Aaron, I’m not going anywhere,” Robert argued.  
“Maybe it would be for the best,” the woman replied.

Robert frowned, “I’m his husband, I’m not going anywhere,” he reiterated.

“My what? I don’t have a husband.”

The woman looked over at Robert with a frown.

“I am his husband,” Robert argued. “I’m still in my wedding suit!”

“He’s lying!”

“Aaron!”

“Mr. Sugden, please,” the nurse stated. “Why don’t you step outside while I page his doctor?”

Robert hesitated.

“Mr. Sugden,” the woman repeated. Robert reluctantly rose from the hospital chair, making his way out into the hallway. He dug his phone from his blazer pocket, quickly unlocking it and tapped on Chas’s name. “You need to get down here… He’s awake,” he explained. “I don’t know, I’m out in the hallway, he… he went straight into a panic attack, just you and Paddy, get down here.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Robert?” He heard Chas call out, he was staring into Aaron’s room who was now sedated, his doctor insisting it was for the best.“Robert,” she repeated as she and Paddy made it by his side.

“He… he doesn’t remember,” Robert muttered.

“The accident?” Chas questioned. “That… that’s to be expected-“

“He doesn’t remember me,” Robert clarified.

“What?”

“He… doesn’t remember… me, the wedding… he… he thinks he still on the run,” Robert explained his chin wobbling as he fought back the tears.

“Oh, love,” Chas muttered pulling her son-in-law into a hug.

“Have you spoken to his doctor?” Paddy questioned. Robert nodded his head yes. “Well?”

“He reckons it’s to be expected with Aaron’s brain injury.”

“Is it permanent?” Paddy asked.

“It can be,” he replied his eyes glued to Aaron. “They had to sedate him,” he continued. “He wouldn’t calm…” he breathed out.

“Why don’t you go home… have a shower, maybe try and get some sleep,” Chas suggested. “Paddy and I can sit with him,” she went on.

“I can’t,” he muttered.

“Robert,” Paddy tried arguing. 

“No, Paddy, I just can’t… I can’t leave him.”

“I’ll get us some coffees,” Paddy finally said after a moment. Chas mouthed thank you to the man as she guided Robert over to sit in the chairs across the way from Aaron’s room. “Can…can you go sit with him?” Robert asked. “I don’t want him to be alone,” he explained.

“I can’t leave you on your own,” she replied.

“Please Chas?” Robert pled. “I’ll be fine I just need a breather.”

The woman hesitated at first before making it to her feet, slowly making her way into her son’s room. Robert only waiting until he saw his mother-in-law was only a foot into the room before breaking down. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He didn’t know how long it had been, the last thing he remembered was Paddy making his way back with the coffees handing him one of them before heading in to join Chas by Aaron’s side. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew he was hearing his name. “Mr. Sugden,” he heard in the distance. “Mr. Sugden,” he heard again this time bring him back. He opened his eyes to see Aaron’s doctor stood before him, “Sorry,” Robert muttered sitting up straight. The older man flashed him a sympathetic smile, “Your husband, he’s asking for you,” the man explained.

“He remembers?” Robert questioned jumping up.

“Not exactly, he’s still quite confused but his mum has seemed to calm him a bit,” the doctor explained. 

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?”

“As long as he’s comfortable with it,” the man explained. “I don’t seem the harm in it.”

Robert stared at the room for a moment.

“Mr. Sugden?”

“Yeah, sorry,” he muttered.

“I’ll be back in a bit to check up on him.”

“Thank you,” he added. He watched as the doctor turned to leave before working up the nerve to enter his husband’s room. He stopped by the door knocking softly, Chas and Aaron turning their attention over to the door. “There he is,” Chas said warmly. “We were just talking about you,” she added.

“Mum… could …could you give us a minute?” Aaron asked.

“You sure?” She asked. Aaron only nodded his head yes. “I’ll be right outside,” she replied as she rose from the chair making her way out the room giving Robert a comforting squeeze on his arm. Robert stood in the doorway staring at the man in the hospital bed. 

“You coming in?” Aaron asked him. 

“Yeah,” Robert replied clearing his throat, making his way in and over to Aaron’s bedside. “You’re still in that suit I see,” Aaron remarked. “Mum said it’s been three days.”

“Yeah, well… I couldn’t bring myself to leave you.”

“You did earlier.”

“Was just outside, I didn’t go far.”

“Mum said.”

“How do you feel?” Robert asked.

“Alright, I suppose,” Aaron replied. Robert sat down, “You’re looking better,” he replied reaching for the other man’s hand. Aaron quickly pulled his hand back. “Sorry,” Robert muttered pulling his hand back as well. “No, I’m sorry,” Aaron muttered his eye-catching Robert’s ring before catching his own. He ran his thumb over it,“So you’re… we really are married?” Aaron questioned. Robert nodded his head yes, “I have witnesses that saw you say I do,” he replied with a soft smile. “Even got it on video.”

“I don’t… I don’t remember,” Aaron explained teary-eyed. 

“That’s okay,” he muttered.

“How? How is that okay?” Aaron questioned. “I… I don’t remember my own husband!” He told Robert. “What if I never-“

“Don’t alright,” Robert stopped him mid-sentence. “It might not be forever,” he argued.

“And what if it is?”

“We’ll manage.”

Aaron just stared at him.

“I love you, Aaron, alright,” Robert replied. “and I know you might not remember it but I know you can feel it,” he explained. ”…I made a promise to you…. in sickness and in health, we’re in this together,” he told him. “and we’re gonna get through this, I promise you.”

Aaron didn’t say anything.

“Hey…. just think if anything… you’ll get to fall in love with me all over again,” he tried joking. Aaron smirked and let out a small laugh. Robert smirked.

“Someone’s full of himself,” Aaron replied.

“I’m pretty sure my arrogance is something you found attractive,” he explained through a smile. 

“Idiot,” Aaron laughed.

“Yeah, I know,” Robert replied.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: SmugdenSugdenDingle


End file.
